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G. S. JACQUES. Merchandising Oar.

Patented June 22,1880.

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. UNITED STATES GEORGE S.H JACQUES, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HISRIGHT TO CATHERINE L. MORROW, OF SAME PLACE.

MERCHANDISING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,135, dated June 22, 1880.

Application led April 15, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. JACQUES, of Detroit, Wayne county, Michigan, have invented an Improvement in a Combined Sleeping and Business Railway-Car, of which the following is a specification.

The nature of this invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the construction of a combined sleeping and business ro railway'car, adapted especially to the wants of commercial travelers, by means of the use of which the prosecution of their peculiar business, in traveling from town to town and taking orders for the kinds of goods exhibited l5 by them, is materially facilitated. As this kind of business is now done, each commercial traveler employing the ordinary facilities for travel is daily put to large expense, in addition to thelusual fares collected for such travel,

2o in paying eXtra-baggage rates, transportation to and from depots to hotels, hotel bills, and rent of sample-rooms.

By the use of the car which is the subjectmatter of this invention a number of comz 5 mercial travelers, representing different kinds of business, may join in the purchase or rental of the car, so constructed as to afford every facility in sleepingapartment, sample-room, lavatory, water-closets, kitchen, and diningroom, so that all expense of transporting samples from depot to hotel and rent ot sample- `rooms is avoided, While each occupant ofvsuch car is provided with a private apartment wherein to conduct his business.

The invention consists in the arrangement, fitting up, and combination of the interior of a railway-car, as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional 4o perspective of the interior of a railway-car.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the floor of the same. Fig.

3 is a section through one of the seat-sections.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, A represents sections of a car, arranged as are arranged similar sections ofthe popular sleepin g-cars of the day, without any provision for upper swinging berths. Opposite each of these sections,

are other sections, B,

and of the same size,

which are provided with seats C, with reversible back and seat cushions D D', so that when desired the bottoms of the seats and backs, Which are solid, may be presented upward when extended, as shown in the section B in Fig. 1,to form a platform or counter upon which to exhibit samples of goods. This section B is also provided at each end with a series of folding shelves, E, which are designed to be used for the same purpose as the platform D.

Sliding doors are so arranged in any desired manner to run athwart the car, between each of the compartments formed by the sections A B.

By this arrangement the traveler may introduce his customer into his own compartment, and, closing the doors, transact his business upon comfortable seats, and with all his samples Within easy reach.

F represents a kitchen; G, a dining-room V7o opposite said kitchen, arranged with tables and seats for four or more to dine at the same time.

H represents the lavatory or wash-room, and I the Water-closet, the same being of the usual construction.

I am aware that a couch has heretofore been formed in a railway-car by connecting the seat-frames of two opposite Xed chair-frames facing eachHother by means of bars, on which 8o rest lthe seat-cushions of both chairs drawn forward, with their outer edges abutting against each other, the back-cushions being let down, so that each back-cushion rests on its seat-frame, with the back and seat cushions of both chairs in the same horizontal plane and the cushions uppermost, to form a conch or bed; and I therefore lay no claim to such invention.

ln my construction the back and seat frames 9o of the chairs facing each other are each hinged to its seat-frame, and each in forming the counter is revolved a quadrant of a circle to present its back face uppermost, so that the back and seat cushions of two opposite chairs facing each other form a hard, solid counter, not liable to be injured by the wear of goods displayed thereon, as would be the case if the cushion sides were uppermost. The latter also would be liable t0 be torn if hardware were displayed upon them.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination, with the compartment B, provided with seats C, lying opposite each other, of the back and seat cushions D D', each hinged to its seat-frame and capable of being reversed, so as to present their solid back faces upwardly, to form a continuous counter for the display of merchandise, substantially as described.

2. A car for displaying merchandise, divided into a series of adjacent compartments, A B, separated from each other by walls and slidbacks of theseat and back cushions upward and form a continuous counter, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE s. JAcQUEs.

Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, C. J. HUNT. 

